When it comes to managing after Mauricio Pochettino’s departure, Chelsea is very interested in hiring Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca. The Blues are reportedly looking at Maresca, who has a strong background under Pep Guardiola, as a potential replacement for Pochettino who abruptly left after just one season.
In the brilliant 2022 season, Maresca helped Guardiola at Manchester City to win the treble. Before this, he led Parma in Serie B in 2021 and was in charge of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad in the 2020-2021 season. Then, in 2023, he took over at Leicester City and won the league.
Chelsea wants to copy Arsenal’s plan of hiring fresh, less tried coaches who could become top-notch, so they’re eyeing Maresca. Like Maresca, Mikel Arteta had no head coaching experience when Arsenal took him in 2019. Arteta turned Arsenal into one of Manchester City’s big rivals after some rough years.
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly wants to use the same blueprint for himself, seeing Maresca as a young and intelligent coach who can make the team win at Stamford Bridge over a long term.
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Other top picks for the job after Pochettino are Ruben Amorim of Sporting Lisbon, Thomas Frank of Brentford and Kieran McKenna of Ipswich Town.
Sporting had an 18-year title drought before Amorim’s 2020 appointment but he has since made an impression in Portugal guiding the team to two Primeira Liga championships.
After negotiations with West Ham United and Liverpool failed to materialize earlier this season he might be moving to Chelsea. Chelsea’s drive to find a manager capable of nurturing young talent and implementing an advanced style of play can be seen by their pursuit of Maresca.
The Italian (44) brings a wealth of experience from his successful tenure at Leicester and his time under Guardiola making him the perfect fit for Chelsea’s goals. But Chelsea may have to pay about £8 million to acquire his services.
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Chelsea wants to create a competitive team that will last for the long run by concentrating on a young manager with a new viewpoint.
Maresca is a strong contender for the position because of his history of working with Guardiola and his outstanding accomplishments with Leicester. Now the only thing that is left to see if Maresca joins Chelsea is, can he duplicate his mentor’s success and take the Blues to new heights?
